During my visits to the midwife and subsequent hospital and doctor visits, one thing that has surprised me is how much concern has been shown about my mental health. I didn’t know I would be asked so often how I’m doing mentally as well as physically and it really got me thinking about all the intense feelings that are associated with all the drastic changes that come with motherhood, some we never get to talk about because we’re supposed to be so blissed out about the birth of our baby. And we are! But it can often be shrouded with a gloom that we don’t expect, want, or know how to handle. In this age of social media where hearing about postpartum depression is becoming much more normal than ever before, it’s been wonderful to know that we can talk about what a subject that used to be considered sensitive. In fact, 1 in 7 women experience postpartum depression–quite high–so we need to address it and treat it.
A few weeks ago I was privileged to sit down with an expert from Intermountain Healthcare, to talk about mental health and awareness for new moms. May is Mental Health month so it was the perfect opportunity to do so. Prior to giving birth, I had talked with a number of close friends about their experiences with postpartum depression and baby blues so I felt like I knew that it very well could be a possibility, even though I don’t have a history of depression myself nor does it run in my family. And that’s just it! You don’t have to have a history of depression in order to get postpartum depression. There are a number of other factors that can lead to it.
The more I had been prepped to address potential depression post-baby, the more questions I had, so talking with an expert was a genuine treat for me. I couldn’t help but flood her with questions. I feel incredibly lucky that I haven’t experienced it (yet?), but there have definitely moments since giving birth to Jasper where I can see how certain elements, if sustained, could contribute to a more permanent low period. I wanted to share some of the information I received in hopes that you might learn them yourself and share these resources with your friends. Intermountain Healthcare has some wonderful tips and information beneficial for new moms, but also just women in general.
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